That seems like a juicy tidbit of information. Where can I learn more?
Since we’re not allowed to insult each other in GQ, I will simply seethe to myself and tell you that’s a wildly inappropriate remark and one of the worst things I’ve read here. Do you even know what that phrase means, or are you ignorant?
Do you know what the phrase means? A spade is a shovel and is part of a spade and pail (or pail and spade, if you prefer) set. It’s also one of the suits in a deck of cards.
Which is exactly what was being discussed, right? Oh wait, no, it was Doug C and his ethnic slurs. Of course, I’m aware of the farm implement and the card suit; I’m also familiar w/ the more colloquial and crude phrase as the poster used it.
I would like to think you aren’t familiar w/ the derogatory phrase, or are you just wearing blinders?
For those scoffing at Portia, it seems that the idea is prevalent enough to have a book written on the topic. Call a Spade a Spade: From Classical Phrase to Racial Slur : A Case Study Wolfgang Mieder, Alan Dundes
I still don’t see any ethnic slurs in this thread. What I did see was someone basically saying that he was “telling it like it is” with regards to a certain nation’s population leaving that nation. While I may disagree with him as to whether it really is “like it is,” I do not see any racist or ethnic slurs so far in this thread.
And I’m not wearing blinders.
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- How about this, the next time anyone asks if somewhere I know is dangerous, I’ll just say “it’s wonderful, peaches and cream. Milk and honey from the trees. Lions lying with lambs and all that, heaven on earth. Have a nice trip.”… because, for goodness sakes, the last thing I’d want to happen is to say anything that would offend anyone…
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- How about this, the next time anyone asks if somewhere I know is dangerous, I’ll just say “it’s wonderful, peaches and cream. Milk and honey from the trees. Lions lying with lambs and all that, heaven on earth. Have a nice trip.”… because, for goodness sakes, the last thing I’d want to happen is to say anything that would offend anyone…
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My God you PC types are full of yourselves. Yes, ‘spade’ is a racial slur, but I’m pretty sure “calling a spade a spade” predates it by quite a long way. I’m sick of having to be answerable to the people like you. Well, actually we’re NOT, but I’m sick of your thinking we are. Get your facts straight before you open your gob.
DougC, you have my full support.
People, please take your arguments out of GQ.
Portia, next time you take offense to a post in GQ, please report the post instead.
Thank you.
-xash
General Questions Moderator
I didn’t even know it was a racial slur! Here a spade is just a suit in a deck of cards or something for digging. You can call a spade a spade till the cows come home. 
Doug C. In my opinion you’re acting like a jerk in this thread. You’re in GQ, and your posts are more suited to the Pit or Great Debates. We can argue about whether you are making remarks that are racist or just your idea of being clever.
I’m closing the thread. Please try to not generalize about a population.
samclem GQ moderator.